Ghosts Of The Past
by Nev1988
Summary: Sequel 2 What once was lost is now found: Reynolds and her family are brought back from England to help Sparrow solve a slue of strange events that circle around Turner's tragedies;RR thanks!
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

Ghosts of the Past  
Chapter 1:  
  
A/N: Okay! Here it is! Yes, I finally got my thoughts sorted out for the sequel and know exactly what will happen. Ha! I AM A GENIUS! Okay maybe not a genius... per say, maybe an intelligent intellectual. Or maybe I'm just a dumb blonde trying to write a sequel to a story that I actually finished and people liked. Anywho, here is the first chapter of my sequel, Ghosts of the Past. By the way this beginning part takes place eight years after my story.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't like writing these things so I am going to say this one right here right now and that is it! Anything in this story that is related to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (with the exception of my characters and the plot) is all owned by Disney. This should make the big mouse happy, *Mickey mouse standing above on his balcony like Juliet, speaker rolls eyes* This is pathetic. I would also like to add that if I happen to use quotes from songs, movies, people's own words; I will give them the proper copyright. Thank you!  
  
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An anxious man sat impatiently on a chair propped in a hallway waiting for the news of his and his wife's second child. He twiddled his thumbs constantly as the room behind him illuminated with the sound of painful screaming. She was in agony, he thought as he leapt from his seat now pacing the hallway floor bare. The shouts and screams continued until there was one last burst of energy put forth in a final shriek then all seemed to fall silent. Was the baby born?  
  
The man had his hand over the handle of the door about ready to open it when the door was pulled back and the wet nurse stepped out of the room. Her blue tear stricken eyes starred up at the man unstable sobs seeping from her lips.  
  
He grasped the woman's shoulder's in his hands shaking her roughly, "is she alright? Where is my child, our baby? What has happened?"  
  
The young woman shuttered her body trembling with fear for she knew his wife and him very well and was deeply shocked by the present events. "I'm sorry s-ss-ir." Her feminine voice finally let out. He released his hold on the lass her weakened body falling straight to the floor crying even more as he shoved himself into the stench filled room.  
  
What he witnessed next would stun his mind for the rest of his life. Her limp body was lying gracefully on the bed linens, her face as smooth as porcelain, her lips a light shade of pink though her skin was very pale. She looked every bit as beautiful as the day they were married, her youthful presence restored after all her years of stress. She and her newly born baby were put at ease, their souls at rest.  
  
He leaned in close hugging her tightly, his saliva sticking to her face as he wept uncontrollably loud. His worn blacksmith hands ran through the locks of her sandy blonde hair as he cried aloud showing his pain to the world. Her body was lifted as he rocked her back and forth singing to her a song that during life had given her much joy. It was the only song he really knew so it wasn't hard for him to remember.  
  
A young boy stood gazing through the open doorway at his once pleasant parents not entirely understanding what was going on. The only thing he recognized out of this slue of insane problems was his mother's favorite song. He stepped back away from the door relaxing his tense body in the chair and began singing quietly to himself. "We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot. Drink up me heart yo ho."  
  
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THREE YEARS LATER:  
  
"MUM! MUM!" Her green eyes gazed out from under her straw hat at us. "Mum! There's a letter!"  
  
My sister ran far ahead of me up the small grassy hill and over to our mother, her blue dress waving in the tiny breeze as she galloped further. "Watch out Lyd's you'll trip on a rock!" I shouted up to her, in all my eleven years I had never seen a more spirited girl.  
  
"I will not Alex!" She turned and spat at me not paying attention to where she was running and tripped over her own feet.  
  
"Lydia, my peach, it seems you should listen to your brother more often." Our mother lifted her straw hat from her black curls and plopped it down on Lydia's head. Mother's laughter gave Lydia a reason to scorn me for my wisdom, of which she had none.  
  
Mother scooted closer her long curls swaying to and fro on her back her cotton apron smudging on the ground protecting her plain dress from the newly distributed soil in our garden. "Now what, pray-tell, is this all about my luvs?"  
  
"Mum?" Lydia lifted her chin trying to face her but the hat slid down in place of her eight-year-old expression. Mother removed the floppy straw hat from Lydia's head ridding her of her accidental hiding place. "Mum, this came today, just down at the gate moments ago," her crystal blue eyes examined the envelope reading the letters before her. "Who's Reynolds?"  
  
Our mother's face went sour at the sound of that name, her usually rosy cheeks went white giving off a ghastly essence. "Mum, are you alright?" I pondered stepping closer to her kneeling body.  
  
She shook out of her trance returning to her normal state, "hmm? Oh yes, I'm fine." She stood stretching her aching muscles before holding her hand out for the envelope. "Now listen my darlings, I want you to stay outside for a while. Go see your friend Edward if you want, but stay far from here, your father and I have many things to discuss, understand?" Her eyes beamed at both of us giving a fair warning that should be heeded.  
  
"Yes Mum," we replied almost in unison.  
  
Her smile warmed our lack of comprehension and gave way for slight understanding. "Good, now run along my luvs. Don't waste this day." With that we said our goodbyes and ran off in opposite directions.  
  
Mother ran straight for the backdoor yanking it open and forcing her way in. "Sam! Samuel! Sam we have a problem!" She threw her hat on the table walking further into the house envelope in hand.  
  
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My sister and I ran around to the front window stooping bellow the sill and watching not to mention listening to everything that was going on. Mother was furious and obviously very upset. Father on the other hand was calm and reassuring I suppose to try and soothe her enraged spirit.  
  
"Alex! What's going on? I can't see a blasted thing!"  
  
"Shut up Lydia!" I seethed at her, "do you want them to catch us?"  
  
"No, but what's the big deal about listening in anyway?" She slumped on the ground slouching over into her own lap and pouting.  
  
"Do you want to know what's in that envelope or what?" Her young face gleaming up at me with new light. "Something about that name brought chills to mom's spirit and made her look ill and I want to know what it is."  
  
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"Justine, what's gotten into you?" He pulled his feet from the table in the dinning room and gazed up anxiously at his wife.  
  
"This is what's gotten into me!" She tossed the envelope across the table at him. The parchment document was flipped upside down and as he turned it to face him he read the name in the black ink. "It's my father's handwriting.," she stated bluntly.  
  
"Why would he write after all of these years? I thought we were supposed to be kept a secret?" His fingertips slid over the coarse grain of the paper.  
  
"I know, I'm scared to find out what he wants or even needs. You know it is something of great importance for him to even write." Her sickly body leaned back on the wall with her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest. "Open it, Samuel, so we can get this over with."  
  
He did as he was asked and the seal was broken his eyes scanning through the ink blotched letter. "What does it say? Sam read it aloud!" Her hands were now pressed on the table begging him to tell her of her father's news.  
  
"Justine I'm so sorry." His words tumbled and fumbled as he broke away from the paper.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" She slid around to his side of the wood table grabbing the parchment from him. Her eyes wondered tears falling from her eyes and down her cheeks.  
  
My Dear Justine,  
I wish that I could shower you with pleasant news perhaps of how rich and plump Ana and I have become down here in the Caribbean but sadly I cannot. About three years ago this very month Elizabeth and what was to be her second child died in birth. Will was completely and utterly horrified by this event and had absolutely no idea of what his next move could be.  
  
Him and his first son lived alone for quite some time enjoying each other's company as much as possible and got along pretty well. That is up until five months ago when Jake, Will's son, slipped off the peer and drown in the water. Justine, I know how much you care for Will and that is why I ask this of you not to mention burden you and your family with this knowledge.  
  
Please come back to Port Royal, if not for me for Will. A month and a half ago they declared him unstable and hostile. He has doctors and nurses watching him day and night writing his every move down on paper. He needs to get out of there! I know that there is nothing wrong with that man; he just lost a few loved ones and needs to feel alive again. He'll never get any better being locked up in that house like he is now.  
  
Justine, please come back, we need you here. I want you here, besides it's been so long since Ana and I saw you and Samuel it'd be nice to see you again.  
  
-Your Father  
  
She sniffled gazing out the window down their dirt path and towards the Iron Gate. "You can notice that Ana helped him write this, he never was one for speeches."  
  
"What are we going to do?" He paused waiting for her answer, "Justine?"  
  
"I don't know." At that moment my idiot sister burst through the front door ignoring my shouts for her to stop. "Lydia?"  
  
"The man at gate. The man that gave me the letter is at the gate!" Her small voice shrieked as her blonde braids dangled on her back.  
  
"Thank you luv," Mother patted Lydia's head and ran out of the door.  
  
"Jus- Justine! What are you doing?" Samuel shouted but gave in shortly as his wife continued down the dirt road.  
  
Her hair was wild flying up like crows from her back, she could run fast but I suppose that she had to, to keep up with us. She stopped as she almost hit the gate a man in a black cloak atop his horse, "Sir! Please, I was wondering if you could tell me where this letter came from." He ignored her remark about ready to ride off, "please sir, I need to know all that I can!" Her face was red with exhaustion.  
  
The man dropped from his horse his hat tilted in his face, "well hello there Miss Reynolds, it's been quite a while."  
  
"I know that voice," the man tilted his hat up slightly, "Gibbs! You ol' dog!" Mum pried opened the gate hugging the man dearly.  
  
"Wearing dresses again, I see Justine." Her tears socked his black cloak, "I know child, I know. Ye were close to her."  
  
"You must tell me about it all, the letter was very brief, too brief." She pulled away from the hug, "promise me that I will know all."  
  
"Why else would yer father send me?" He smiled light heartedly.  
  
"Thank you, come let's get inside the cold weather seems to be settling in." She opened the gate further so he could bring his horse in.  
  
"Are those your and Samuel's youngin's up there?" He posed looking at the two children on the porch.  
  
"That'd be them, Lydia and Alex are their names." She grinned sheepishly before showing Gibbs to the barn where he could keep his horse.  
  
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A/N: Well that's it for the first chapter, hope you guys are intrigued by the secretive events. I'll elaborate on them more in the next couple of chapters. Reviews are nice so be generous. Love to all and thanks for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2: Moving?

Chapter 2:  
  
A/N: I'm glad that you guys are curious to know what happens, I can't wait to write it! For the past week I have been dying to just sit down and write and know I finally can, this is such a relief. Okay enough of blabber, here's the next chapter.  
  
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"Hello sir, my name's Lydia. It's a pleasure to meet you." She smiled sweetly extending her hand out to Gibbs. Her small girlish bangs and long braided hair gave her an innocent disposition none of which was true. My sister could be down right nasty especially in her later years, but that's off the topic.  
  
"Lyd's!" I yanked her back from the man holding her from the danger he might linger in. I knew by the smell of old rum and the salty sea not to mention his uncleanliness that he was no good. But how did mother know him?  
  
"Now Alex, she was only trying to be kind. Let her go. She can say hello if she wants to." Mother scolded me for protecting Lydia? She'd understand later that this man was no good, I was sure of it, even if I had to help it out a little.  
  
"But Mum!" She shook her head at me her fierce eyes giving their stern look; she was ticked. I sighed and stomped into the house up to my room.  
  
"Don't mind him sir, he's just my brother, Alex. Come on in." Lydia grabbed his arm and led him into the house gabbing away as they walked.  
  
Mother stayed out on the porch watching as the sun slowly drifted away and the stars began to shine. Her shoulder was pressed against the post as her mind skipped through the last eleven years in an instant. It was easy to tell that she was worried, about what I have no clue because she should have been rightly worried about that man in the living room but wasn't. So as far as I'm concerned she could be worried about a stain on the counter. Women, I swear that they are most definitely not the better sex.  
  
I heard large footsteps creek out onto the porch, it was my father no doubt. "What are we going to do, my love? We can't stay here anymore. Not with this news." His voice was deep and full of concern as he rapped his protective arms around her torso rocking their bodies slightly.  
  
"Then I guess we'll have to leave, now won't we?" She turned and faced her husband, "I know that you love it here, it took us away from everything that our past was. It was a great vacation, but now our lives are calling us back and we can't ignore it."  
  
"So?" He begged.  
  
"So we must go back." She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him lovingly. "Now we really must save Gibbs from Lydia, lord knows what she's done to him."  
  
"I wonder if she has him in a dress with your jewelry on like that one time she dressed Alex up." The couple laughed obnoxiously as they entered the house.  
  
But what they saw stunned them; both people were passed out on the floor silently snoozing away. "Wow," was my mother's only explanation.  
  
"Never would've though of that."  
  
"Nope. Should we wake Gibbs?" She questioned.  
  
"We have to talk with him alone. What better time then if the kids are asleep?" Father pointed out.  
  
"Right. I'll take care of Gibbs and you put Lydia to bed, savvy?" She immediately covered her mouth, "I meant okay?" She bit her lip as she thought about that word watching her husband carry their daughter up the steps to her and Alex's room. She then leaned over and shook Gibbs, "Gibbs, Gibbs. Get up you old dog! You're stinking my floor up!"  
  
"Damn Reynolds, whatever happened to kindness," he replied.  
  
"You're an outlaw you shouldn't be used to kindness." She helped pull him from the cold wood flooring.  
  
"Oh, right. I suppose the ladies spoil me then." He gave a corky smile as they entered the dinning room and sat down at the table waiting for father to return.  
  
Father entered walking over to a hidden cupboard and pulling out a bottle of rum and three glasses. "So Gibbs tell us what has been going on."  
  
"Well you see we fear a conspiracy. Somethin' aint right with how all of em' died. First was Elizabeth during birth then her second son who was only a babe still."  
  
"Wait, second son? In the letter it said that the baby died whilst being born and that the gender was yet to be determined." Mother chimed in.  
  
"True it did because that's what the nurses were told to say the truth was that the baby had been born but it died a week after birth. The odd part was that Will was not permitted to see the babe and was told just as the rest of us that it had died."  
  
"Who's care was the child in up until its death?" Father brought the glasses and bottle to the table sitting down on the end chair.  
  
"Now you see that there is the strangest part, nobody knows. There are so many people that were there that day that the babe could have been with anyone."  
  
"What of his first son?" Mother sipped her cup of rum while keeping her eyes fixed on Gibbs.  
  
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I slid down the wooden steps gazing through the railings at them with curious eyes. Without my approval Lydia, now awake, slid up right behind me. "Are you eavesdropping again Alex?"  
  
"Hush child, I'm trying to listen." I blurted out in a loud whisper.  
  
"Well that answers my question you whelp!" She snorted.  
  
"Do you want to go back to bed? I'll put you there if you don't shut up." I faced her now trying to imitate that stern look Mother always gives.  
  
"Yes sir," she stated bluntly then made cruel faces at me once my head was turned as she always does.  
  
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"He was fishing off the peer with his friends and they decided to go for a swim. Now according to the young ones they were playing tag and he was it so he went under the water to count while they ran out and his on land. The only thing is he never surfaced. Dock master found him and called for the doctor immediately. He was pronounced dead on scene." Gibbs sighed, "I don't think, if I were William, that I could handle something like that."  
  
"Listen you need to come back because we think these deaths were actual murders and we want you and Sam to come and help us out." Gibbs explained.  
  
"Why us? I mean we have a life here with two children, we can't just give that up in a heartbeat never mind how much I would love to go back." Mother confessed aloud to the room.  
  
"Reynolds, we need you because you, like your father, know those waters well. Plus-."  
  
"Plus what? Gibbs tell me!" She shouted at him in a pleading way.  
  
"Rumor around the town is that Turner himself has been asking for you by name. He won't shut up about you."  
  
Mother slumped back in her seat biting her lip pondering over what was the right thing to do. "Please Reynolds, you know that world just the same as I, a pirate, do."  
  
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"PIR-!" Lydia was about ready to scream when I forced my hand over her mouth to silence her.  
  
"Quick, they would have heard you, back up to bed!" We scampered up the stares as silent as mice and leapt back in to our beds.  
  
Moments later father walked in our room finding what her thought were two sleeping children. He then turned and walked back down stairs joining his wife and friend once more.  
  
Lydia sat up in her bed, "Do you really think he's a pirate?"  
  
"He said it didn't he, I knew he wasn't right to begin with."  
  
"Well why is Mum still talking to him then?"  
  
"He's hypnotized her, you know like witches do. He has her and Father under his spell. Now they're going to leave and go to," I paused picking a spot in the world where pirates have been known to gather, "New Providence!"  
  
She gasped then retorted with another question, "Where's New Providence and are pirates really like witches?"  
  
"New Providence is somewhere in the Caribbean and yes pirates are really like witches. They could chop your head off without even using their cutlass."  
  
"Now is that entirely appropriate to be telling your eight year old sister?" Mother's silhouette hung in the shadows of the doorway. "Lets see, how do I explain this to you two." She walked into the room, "how would you luvs like to move to a new place where you could feel warm all year long and see palm trees and meet new people?"  
  
"Will we meet pirates?" Lydia spoke up now enchanted at the thought of seeing pirates.  
  
"Lydia! They're evil, vile, and dissolute creatures!" I shouted at her.  
  
"My darling where ever did you hear those words?" Mother asked her gaze penetrating my skin as if it was a personal insult.  
  
"Reverend Goodshire told me." I spoke honestly.  
  
"Well I assure you he is misunderstood," she turned to Lydia, "perhaps we will encounter a few on our journey. Now I want you to get some rest, both of you!" With that she kissed each of us on the forehead once and walked out of the room back down to the dinning room.  
  
"Pirates," I heard Lydia whisper before she dozed off.  
  
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I had such a wonderful deep sleep that when I woke up I could barely open my eyes. I stretched lazily cracking one eye open then the other noticing just how quiet the house was. I turned on my side to see my sister's empty bed. I flung myself up grabbing my coat from the bed stand and then running downstairs. My dark brown hair was knotted and pulled back into a small ponytail.  
  
When I reached the base of the steps there was no one in sight but I could hear voices to the side of the house coming from the barn. I stepped out on the porch and saw everyone out at the barn getting the horses prepared for what I had no clue.  
  
"Alex, I see you have waken finally! Come over here!" My mother called to me and I waltzed over cautiously. Was this some game? What was she doing?  
  
She smiled down at me resting one arm on my shoulder as I came near. My sister popped her head up from the horses back, "guess what, Alex! We're going to Port Royale!"  
  
I dropped my hands to my sides jaw dropped and eyes wide. "What?"  
  
"Your father and I decided that it might be nice for us to get away for a while. To see some old friends and pick up where our pasts left off. Don't worry Alex you'll have plenty of fun down there." She patted my back, as if that could help? "We leave after brunch so I'd start packing up your belongings." Mum kissed my forehead and then helped Lydia off of the horse. "Come on sweetie, you need to bathe today, and so do you Alex!"  
  
I looked daggers at her before swaggering back to the porch. My mother stood in the barn, still, with my father and that man. "Does his walk remind you of anyone Gibbs?" Mum pondered watching my steps into the house.  
  
"He inherited ol' Jack's stride, blessed me." Gibbs spat to the side his saliva soaking into the hay.  
  
"Sam, I'm going to have a few rounds with the horse, could you take Lydia in and help her pack?" She turned to her husband grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Gibbs, you've unearthed the devil in her." He glanced down at his wife, "she'll never want to come back now."  
  
"Well I've got to get back into shape now don't I?" She stepped up kissing her husband gently before mounting the horse. "Thank you, luv."  
  
"No problem, my darling," he exaggerated the last bit for sarcasm.  
  
"What did you mean about unearthing a devil inside Mum?" Lydia questioned as she watched Mum gallop out of the barn.  
  
"Well, my dear, she loves to ride horses," he quickly made up a lie. "And before now she was hesitant about ridding them again after an accident that she had, but now that she is she won't want to stop." Father reached down and swooped Lydia up in his arms pretending to be a horse, himself, and galloping over to the house with her now on his back.  
  
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A/N: I know it's not too much excitement at the moment but I have to take care of setting in the children's opinions before they can go back to the Caribbean. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it and wish to hear your opinions through reviews. Thanks again! 


	3. Chapter 3: Surprise!

Chapter 3:  
  
A/N: Hi-Hello to ya all! I feel free today, for once I feel as if there is nothing holding me back. That's such a great feeling. But anyway I have decided that this weekend I will update What the Ocean Waves Brought In and will try to work on it every weekend, but that is not a guarantee. This is for those of you who have been pestering me about updating it *shakes fist at audience* But thank you I needed that.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own POTC, but who ever does (*cough* Disney *cough*) I would like to a bid in!  
  
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So our journey begins, those words have hung loosely in my mind for three days now, and for three days I have basked in the light of the warming sun and the gentle breeze rolling through the sails. Those were the words of my mother when she first stepped on the deck of the H.M.S. Imperium; I remember the way her stray black hairs brushed softly across her face, the way her royal blue dress ruffled as she walked, the sweet smell of lavender perfume on her petticoat, and her rough british accent pronouncing her fulfilling words. She was a lady of status whether by birth or not.  
  
A sharp creek in the floorboards stole me away from my thoughts. I briskly turned around staring down a blurry shadow across the deck. The figure came towards me growing in size with every step; the shadow's strides quickened now matching the pulse of my ever-beating heart. My body froze to the floor and no matter how hard I tried to pull myself away I kept that same position frightened beyond my wildest dreams.  
  
Dark clouds loomed above the masts stowing away the midnight moon, forever hiding this masked being in the dark. I cringed in fear praying to God that he would save me from the devilish creature toddling over to me.  
  
"Alex?" My eyes widened as I gazed out at the being again. The moon poured out from it's hidden loft washing away the shadow in a puff of smoke. In place of it was a man who stepped through the veil of smoke over to me. "Alex it's after midnight, your mother would skin you alive if she knew you were out here."  
  
"Andie, you won't tell her will you?" I questioned the sailor. "Please don't tell her I'd be in deep trouble for sure."  
  
Andie took another step forward leaning against the railing with me. He was an honest sailor, a young one in his early twenties or so. His dream was of becoming a Captain of a naval ship much like this one, he told me that he wanted to win the respect of his father and that by becoming a Captain he would bring honor back to his family name, which would, in turn, earn his father's respect. Sometimes I wish that my father would want me to live that life, make something out of myself and have honor, only later would I find out why they never wanted me to have a career in the navy.  
  
"Nah, I won't tell her. What are you doing up here anyway?" His hazel eyes gleamed down at me as he awaited my response.  
  
"It was too stuffy downstairs and I needed some air. Mum always said that the sea was the best place to think. Of course she had only been on a ship once so I don't know how much experience she would have at that." I complained as I folded my arms resting more of my weight on the railing.  
  
"Your mother is a very smart woman." He sighed starring further out into the crashing waves of the ocean.  
  
"Yeah, and how would you know? We've only been aboard for three days." I asked curiously.  
  
"What I meant is she seems like a very smart woman. I wouldn't put it past her to know what the sea was like." He covered up his misguiding tracks but I could still see the footprints through the newly spread dirt.  
  
"You're disgusting." He stared down at me a guilty look plastered to his face. "She's my Mum and here you are blushing about her. You like her and that's just disgusting." It was enough to make me puke, the thought of a younger guy liking my mum. It's not that she was an old crone or anything; I knew my mother was beautiful but she was my mum all the same.  
  
"Alex, you need to come to bed now. It's well into the night and you need your rest." Mother waltzed forward from the stairwell her bare feet padding their way over to us. Her off white shawl was wrapped around her shoulders covering her nightgown and her long locks waving across her back as she moved. "Thank you Mr. Young for keeping an eye on my Alex, but he really must be in bed at this late hour. Surely you understand." She wrapped her protective arms around me pulling her shawl off to cover my cold flesh.  
  
"Yes Madam, I'm sorry for not sending him off to bed sooner.' He paused for a moment contemplating what to say to her, "if you should need help with anything, anything at all I could fulfill your... needs."  
  
My mother's eyes flashed up meeting Andie's gaze, her razor green eyes slicing through him with vigilance. "Alex would you please leave us," she didn't even turn to look at me. "Now!"  
  
She pushed me along shoving me towards the stairwell. As I walked I could here part of their conversation, "Mr. Young, I understand your feelings for me but I am married and very happily at that. I have two children whom I love dearly and would do anything for, I really have no need for extra love on the side my husband fulfills that need for me. Your offer was sweet and I am flattered but you don't know me."  
  
I got to the stair well and hid in the shadows watching the rest though I could not hear their discussion. Andie stepped towards her resting his hands on her shoulders. What was he thinking?  
  
"I know that you are a lady with a wealth of knowledge whom is just dying to break free from a lifetime of boredom. I bet the highlight of your life so far has been reading Hamlet or tucking your children in at night. Don't you want something more... exotic?"  
  
Mother broke out in laughter confusing Andie with her strange behavior. "Does that line actually work? Oh lord, son I'm twenty-nine years old and I assure you that the most exciting parts of my life you couldn't even grasp. I am not a lady nor have I even read the book Hamlet but I have bested several men in sword fighting and am very skilled at sailing. I also have friends in very high places at Port Royal so keep in mind if you pull a stunt like this again you'll get busted."  
  
She continued laughing as she walked away from Andie, "It's been nice chatting with you Mr. Young!" Mum let out a large sigh as she came towards the steps expecting to see me hiding around the corner but I had already left and ran for my cot in our quarters.  
  
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Three weeks had passed by since that night and we were on the verge of reaching the Caribbean when the warning bell sounded early within the morning light. Father sprung open the door to our room, shaking mother from her slumber. "What is it Sam? What's going on?"  
  
He was about to blurt out the news when he noticed my sister and I staring at him awkwardly. "I think it's best if we keep the children in the room, you need to come see what is going on up on the spar deck." Father motioned her up stairs with his eyes in code.  
  
"Children, be good won't you? Mummy needs to check something out. We'll be back soon." She kissed our foreheads and grabbed and extra pair of Father's knickers and cotton shirts. Within an instant they were gone and the door was shut.  
  
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"Which ship is it? Is it one that we know?" Andie Asked the Captain as our 'disguised' mother stepped on deck her hair pulled out of her way in a ponytail and a worn green-blue hat slopped on her head.  
  
"It's one of ours, the H.M.S. Carte Blanche, though it is not our men." The Captain informed lowering his spyglass.  
  
"Then who are they?" Andie stepped forward squinting in the morning sun.  
  
"Pirates, Mr. Young, pirates. I suggest you rally your men and make ready the cannons."  
  
"Aye sir." With that he made his way from the helm back onto the spar deck where he saw my mum.  
  
"Mrs. Taber? What on earth are you doing in men's breeches? This conduct is not that of a lady." He pointed out as he came towards her.  
  
"You're absolutely right Mr. Young. But if those are indeed pirates aloft over yonder, then they'll be looking for women and children and if the women are dressed as men, well they won't be entertainment this night."  
  
"You believe that they can over throw this ship," he posed pompously.  
  
"Yes," Mum replied boldly, "have you ever encountered pirates before Mr. Young?"  
  
"Well no ma'am, but their just low lives, they don't know how to properly fight."  
  
"Yet their kind has lasted for over fifty years. Now tell me how could they manage that without having some power?" She left him with that thought as she walked lengthwise down the ship to my father.  
  
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"Where are you going Alex?" Lydia screamed running after me as I opened the door.  
  
"I want to see what is going on and why Mother took Father's clothes." I turned away to leave but was pulled back by her cries once more.  
  
"Don't leave me down here, Alex, I want to come too." She jumped out in front of me galloping for the stairs.  
  
"Fine," I grabbed her shirt, "but you must listen to me and try to keep quiet."  
  
She smiled and nodded her head anxiously; we made our way up the steps cautiously. When we reached the top we could not believe our eyes, pirates were screaming and shouting from another ship that had lined up against ours. I thought we were goners for sure.  
  
I caught a glimpse of who I believed was their captain; a dark haired man with a washed out burgundy coat and deeply tanned skin. He shout orders viciously to his men, his voice like thunder. Then they were boarding, they climbed over the sides with ease and our groups quickly merged battling for our lives. What did they want? Money? Revenge? Supplies? Murder?  
  
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"Give them no quarter if they resist! I want my the woman and her family found!" The Captain shouted fiercely, he meant us. Why us?  
  
I turned to go back down the steps when a big burly man came at us forcing my sister and I back up the steps. We ran onto deck dodging the swings from swords and ducking from thrown objects. We were pinned in a corner by the man until another man came up from behind him placing a cutlass to his sun-burned throat, "leave my children alone!"  
  
The burly man resisted shoving the other into the railing whereupon we realized it wasn't a man at all but our mother. She kicked the man in the face with her bare feet pushing him out of the way.  
  
"JUSTINE!" Came a shout from behind her. She turned to see the Pirate Captain starring at her with a faint smile on his face. Mother's face lit up then lost its lustrous color when our Captain appeared behind the man, his pistol to the pirate's head.  
  
"To hell with you, you devilish creature!" He shouted cocking the gun back ready to fire.  
  
"Sanders Stop!" Her scream echoed through the crowd reaching the two captains; she paused almost begging him to drop the gun but he didn't budge. She blinked thinking over her options, sweat draining down her forehead, she had no choice. A pistol went off, the gunpowder smoke traveling away from my mother's face.  
  
"Mother!" My voice leapt from my throat without warning praying to god that she wasn't harmed. Then the sudden realization of it all struck me, it was our captain whom was the victim of this shot, not the pirate. "She killed him," it started in a whisper than escalated to shouts, "you killed him! You killed a man!"  
  
A pair of rough arms wrapped around me holding me in place as I wriggled around screaming at her. She killed a man, she was a murderer and the worst part was that she knew it. "Hush boy, calm down. Uncle Gibbs is here, just relax."  
  
"You're not my uncle," I fought with him constantly until I became exhausted and slouched on the wood in my confusion.  
  
Andie stood by watching the entire thing shocked by Mum's actions. He walked up to her, pistol in hand, waiting for his moment. "Mrs. you are on dangerous ground at the moment. I suggest you drop the weapon and give yourself up to the proper authorities."  
  
There was so much commotion on deck and almost nobody could explain what was going on. Mother dropped her pistol to the ground and turned solemnly away from everyone walking to the railing. She leaned her brow against the moist wood relaxing her nerves somewhat. "Mum!" Lydia sprung up from the little corner she had been hiding in and ran over to Mother, tears filling her little eyes.  
  
"Mum, it's okay. Don't get upset, I love you." Lydia wrapped her scrawny arms around Mum's waist hugging her tightly.  
  
Several brawls continued on in the background, many men fighting simply to end the fight. Mother ignored them as she reached down and scooped Lydia up in her arms now turning to face everyone. The pirate Captain stepped a little closer to Mum, his face was not cruel or vile but nervous and worried. "Just-."  
  
"Don't!" She pointed the tip of her cutlass at him, "I don't want to talk to you just yet," her voice stuttered out the next word as if it was not the one she wanted to use but was forced to speak it anyway, "Jack." He stood his ground their eyes beaming at each other; who was this man and how does she know him?  
  
Father sifted through the mess of pirates walking straight out to mother whispering closely in her ear. She nodded and turned back to 'Jack'. "Get your ship ready, we leave now."  
  
Was Mother crazy? She could get herself killed ordering around a pirate, but to my surprise he followed her orders.  
  
"Wait just a moment! You can't leave, you're staying right here and I'm taking you all to Port Royal where you will be tried for your acts of treason against the crown." I have to admit that it was the worst speech I ever heard Andie say.  
  
"Andie, I'm not one for threats but this pirate crew easily doubles yours. Do you honestly think you could stop us? I mean your more than welcome to try, you could even follow us for all I care but you'll never be able to turn us in." Mother spoke to him halfheartedly, not even caring if it turned out to be a threat or not.  
  
"Why not?" Andie voiced back but mother had already turned away and began to walk across the boarding planks with Lydia in her arms.  
  
"I'm tired Mum," she announced sleepily to Mother's all hearing ears. "And I'm hungry too."  
  
"I'll get you something to eat in a moment and then you can go to bed okay, luv?" She grinned lovingly as Lydia nodded resting her head on Mother's shoulders.  
  
Just after they crossed over to the other ship the pirates followed, leaving the sailors with little to no food, torn sails, a few pence and their lives. I found myself walking reluctantly next to 'Jack' as we crossed the boarding planks. "Your mother's a bit of a talker isn't she?"  
  
His breath was raw with rum and he had several gold teeth that gleamed down at me. "You don't know my mother," I said boldly hoping that my statement might end the conversation.  
  
"Well you certainly inherited her stubbornness, but what of your father? What traits of his do you have?" His presence annoyed me and his stench was almost unbearable, it was as if he had never bathed in his life I nearly died.  
  
"Do you not bathe or is that just how you smell?" I retorted rudely not caring if it hurt at all. I leapt down onto the deck of the pirates' ship walking to the center whereupon I noticed another boy at the helm, not much older than I was. For once I was not alone in this world.  
  
The Captain gave his orders and we were off, to where I did not know. As I glanced back I noticed that most of the sailors were tied to the mast and all of the cannons were missing their fuses, the first real hint that these men were thieves of the sea.  
  
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A/N: I fixed it, hope it sounds better! 


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